How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
I am Gabriel, the messenger, the teller of astonishing truths. Now I am dying, my temperature soaring, my hands and memory tremoring: perhaps I should not be held accountable for everything I say. (3.3)
Is this because he can't be trusted, or because he's about to spill the beans? Gabriel is upfront with the fact that he can't be trusted, and we soon see why. We think this might be the only thing he tells us that's factual.
Quote #2
I remember how keen I was to assure him it wasn't his fault, that I didn't blame him for the scarlet welts striping the back of my knees; I remember how my skin prickled to see him, how I flew to the fence at the sight of him swaggering along the street, unkempt and unshod as he'd been two days earlier, leggy as a jackal. (5.1)
After Finnigan (or Gabriel) steals the money from his mom, Gabriel tries to make Finnigan feel better about it. If you think about it, though, this means he's trying to console himself about what he's done. He doesn't want to feel guilty over taking something that's not his, so he blames Finnigan in his mind.
Quote #3
I remembered Finnigan's vow to protect and give me courage, and I supposed that he had lied. I might have believed I'd invented him, that I had indeed patted the tiger in the dark, had it not been for the misshapen word carved into the front fence, six small letters on which my faith hung. (7.1)
As Gabriel starts to realize that not everything is as it seems, we question reality right along with him. How can we know when Gabriel or Finnigan can be trusted, and when they are just serving their own purposes?
Quote #4
The people who sympathized to her face whispered, when her back was turned, that she was rightly cursed. I never saw such falseness, such extremes of truth and lie, such coldness of the human heart as I did in those first seven years of my life, when Vernon was alive. (7.9)
Another form of multiplicity comes into play around Vernon. Gabriel's mom calls Vernon life's joy in public, but despises him secretly in private, so Gabriel quickly sees that how things seem and how they are often don't match up.
Quote #5
"You lit the fires as much as I did. You told me, go out and burn. Besides, we're reflections, blood brothers, remember? What I do, you do."
The cold wind had brought water to my eyes; I smeared them dry on my sleeve. I could smell, on the breeze, the earthen scent of him. "You remember that, don't you, Anwell?"
Something dangerous wafted from him—something not to be denied. "Yes, I remember." (9.89-91)
Here we begin to question who, exactly, is to blame for the fires and troubles all around town. For a long time, we're fine placing that squarely on Finnigan's shoulders, but this gives us reason to believe that's not fair. We don't yet know Gabriel and Finnigan are the same person, but we do begin to see that their actions are bound by the pact.
Quote #6
Across the garden stands the fence where years ago I carved my name. The angel treated the scratchings like a holy relic. His only proof of me. I was so often tempted to scrub the letters off. After a while, the weather did it for me. Now there's no word, no name, no proof, just the fence. (14.2)
Without proof, Gabriel isn't sure Finnigan exists. His only so-called proof is a scratched name in a fence that anyone could make. Even in questioning reality, though, Gabriel seems pretty willing to believe in Finnigan's existence and version of events.
Quote #7
We both knew that what I said was the truth, as well as being a lie. The pure and honest answer was pinging between us, hovering above the weeds. Neither of us reached to catch it. (15.58)
How can something be both truth and lie? Isn't that an oxymoron? Somehow, this is the perfect analogy for the book. Throughout, we feel like we're told a series of (secret) truths, only to find out that they are in fact lies. Yet we also question which parts of them might still be true somehow. Gah.
Quote #8
I reminded myself that he was safe—he was safe as could be. Finnigan had him, would never give him back, but at least he was safe. Finnigan had told me I'd regret it, but I didn't. There was peace in having nothing left to lose. That's what I knew: there was nothing left to lose. (21.55)
Phew. And here we thought Surrender was shot and about to get shot again. We're glad that he's safe… oh wait, except we later learn that he isn't and the dog is totally dead. The difference between reality and what we're told is reality is hard to determine in this book.
Quote #9
The percussion sent the chickens haywire. I felt the body slump at my feet. Specks of blood landed on me. I dropped the rifle and walked away. My knees and elbows creaked. Gravel was waterfalling from my pores, I left an arid river of it behind. (21.59)
Two different versions of Surrender are seen in the book: Gabriel claims his dog is safe with Finnigan… right before shooting him in the head.
Quote #10
She almost turns; then hesitates. Her rubber soles yelp on the floor. "Why do you always call me Sarah?" she asks. "You know that's not my name."
"Gabriel," I reply, "isn't mine."
"But it's what you prefer."
"My preference isn't to be who I am." (17.84-7)
Gabriel tells his nurse that he doesn't want to be himself, probably because of his torrid past. Yet, a quickie name change does not a new person make. Anwell a.k.a. Gabriel a.k.a. Finnigan wants to believe that it does, but he's still the guy behind the mask—no matter which one he's wearing.